Paris, 19 December 2007,
According to the information received, on 9 December 2007, Syrian State Security Services began a series of arrests, in reaction to the meeting organised by the Damascus Declaration for Democratic and National Change initiative. For reminder, on 16 October 2005, a wide coalition of political reform activists, publicly issued the “Damascus Declaration for Democratic and National Change,” which called for establishing a democratic system that respects citizens’ rights, ensures freedom of speech and association, and ends discrimination based on religious or political beliefs.
The meeting organised on 1 December 2007 aimed at discussing follow-up to the 2005 declaration. It gathered 163 persons and was held outside of Damascus. It resulted in the creation of the National Council of the Damascus Declaration, a collective movement of political opposition gathering political activists, including the Muslim Brotherhood, as well as human rights defenders. 17 Council members were elected. On 9 December began a wave of arrests of dozens of activists and today seven remain in detention.
Dr. Ahmad Tohme, a political activist, Mr Jaber al-Shoufi, a human rights defender, Mr Akram al Bunni, a well-known human rights defender, Dr. Fida al-Hurani, a political activist, Mr Ali al-Abdullah, a human rights activist, Dr. Walid Bunni, a political activist, and Dr. Yasser Tayser Aleiti, an intellectual, who had been elected to the Council of the Damascus Declaration, have been individually targetted and remain in detention. Their families and lawyers have not had access to them and they have not been charged with any offense.
FIDH believes that they have been arrested because they expressed their opposition to the Syrian regime, calling for reform. FIDH urges Syrian authorities to release immediately these activists who have been arbitrarily arrested and detained and to engage in dialogue with Syrian civil society.